UPDATE: In spite of Twitter protests, online petitions, and loss of major advertisers, a rep for the network told BuzzFeed News VH1 is going to air the final three episodes on Friday before making any decisions.
Read the original report below.
Priyanka Banks in VH1's Sorority Sisters
VH1
In the first five minutes of Sorority Sisters, yet another reality series on VH1, we see Priyanka Banks sexily stepping up on a stage, dropping it low, rolling around on the stage, tossing her hair back and forth underneath a disco ball.
Technically, she's a burlesque dancer — a point she made clear in her confessional. But the image (though commonplace on other reality TV shows on this particular network) didn't sit well with many on Twitter.
The difference with this particular scene — and Sorority Sisters at large — is that Banks is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., one of the distinguished black Greek letter organizations. A growing group of petitioners want the show — which many believe is produced by Mona Scott-Young (the woman behind the Love & Hip Hop franchise), who is actually a consultant, according to VH1 — off the air.
About 1.3 million people tuned in for the premiere episode on Dec. 15, making it an early success for VH1. But the online boycott of the 10-episode series started immediately, with viewers tweeting at advertisers to not sponsor the show. So far, 51 companies have pulled their sponsorship dollars, the most recent being the NBA.
In a statement to BuzzFeed News, VH1 said, "We are definitely hearing the conversation around Sorority Sisters and are taking the concerns of our viewers into account. Currently there are no changes planned for the series. The show seems to be connecting with an audience." They also noted that the show's most recent airing was the No. 1 non-sports cable program in its time slot with women between the ages of 18-34.
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